Styling agents for the deformation of keratinic fibers have been known for some time, and are employed in a variety of configurations to build up, refresh, and retain hairstyles that, for many hair types, can be obtained only using setting active agents. An important role is played here both by hair treatment agents that serve for permanent shaping of the hair, and by those that serve for temporary shaping. Temporary shaping results that are intended to produce good hold without negatively affecting the healthy appearance of the hair, for example its shine, can be obtained, for example, by means of hair sprays, hair waxes, hair gels, blow-dry waves, etc.
Corresponding agents for temporary shaping usually contain synthetic polymers as a shaping component. Preparations that contain a polymer can be applied onto the hair by means of propellant gases or using a pump mechanism. Hair gels and hair waxes, on the other hand, are as a rule not applied directly onto the hair but instead are distributed in the hair using a comb or the hands.
Known forms of temporary styling agents often cannot be metered with satisfactory accuracy. Hair gels, hair creams, and hair waxes, for example, are difficult to distribute once they have been applied onto the hair. As soon as the comb or the hands onto which the styling agent has been applied come into contact with the first hair areas, comparatively large quantities of styling agent are delivered onto the hair. Relatively little styling agent, on the other hand, is incorporated into hair areas that are reached only later with the comb or hands. The consequence of this is that the user either must from the outset apply a large quantity of styling agent so that even those hair areas reached last receive sufficient styling agent, or is forced to apply the styling agent in multiple steps, different hair areas being treated in each case. Hair sprays can be distributed more uniformly onto the hair. But because the user has no ability to visually perceive the total quantity of styling agent applied, the risk exists that more styling agent than would actually be necessary is applied onto the hair.
Powdered cosmetics are known and have already been used for some time, for example, in the skin treatment sector. Typical examples are make-up powder or eye shadow. The use of a powdered carrier material is necessary in order to achieve the powdered consistency. A metal oxide, for example silicon dioxide, can be used as a suitable carrier material. Hydrophobized metal oxide or silicon dioxide is of particular interest.
This can be obtained, for example, from pyrogenic silicon dioxide, which is commercially obtainable in various specifications. Untreated pyrogenic silicon dioxide carries silanol groups and siloxane groups on the surface. As a result, it has a high affinity for water, i.e. it is hydrophilic. By reaction with suitable organic silicon compounds, alkylsilyl groups can be chemically bound on the surface of the pyrogenic silicon dioxide. This results in modified silicon dioxide powders that can no longer be wetted by water, i.e. that have hydrophobic properties.
The use of hydrophobized silicon dioxide in cosmetics in order to produce so-called “dry water” for the skin is known to one skilled in the art. Here the hydrophobic properties of the modified silicon dioxide are exploited; the result of these properties is that when intensively mixed with water, the silicon dioxide is not simply dispersed in it. The water droplets are instead encased by the hydrophobic solid particles and prevented from coalescing again. Powdered solids having a water content of as much as 95% or more can thereby be obtained. Under mechanical stress, for example when rubbed onto the skin, the enclosed water is released again. This “dry water” is used as the basis for manufacturing shelf-stable solid hydrogen peroxide, and spreadable preparations having a very low oil content.
This concept is also the basis for the manufacture, described in EP 1 235 554 B1, of cosmetic or pharmaceutical liquefiable powder compositions. The powder compositions comprise hydrophobically coated silicon dioxide particles in which water and a water-soluble polymer are enclosed; the compositions contain less than 1% oil. The result of adding the water-soluble polymer is said to be that the powder feels pleasant and not grainy when used on the skin, without needing to add an oil component to the product for that purpose. The polymer is, for that purpose, added to the water phase in a quantity from 0.01 to 5 wt %, a concentration of only 0.1 to 1 wt % being preferred. The liquefiable powder compositions are employed chiefly for manufacturing decorative cosmetics. Utilization in deodorants or sun protection agents, or use on the hair as the basis of hair treatment agents that contain luster agents or care-providing components, is additionally described. Utilization in the sector of styling agents is not recited.
WO 03/037287 A1 discloses the use of a granulate based on pyrogenic silicon dioxide in cosmetic compositions. The special granulates can be silanized, i.e. hydrophobized, and are suitable for manufacturing cosmetic compositions of any consistency, for example liquids, foams, sprays, or powders. A plurality of conceivable cosmetics, among them hair-styling agents, are recited as possible cosmetic compositions. Only the usual application forms—lotion, hair spray, hair lacquer, hair gel, and hair wax—are recited, however. There is no indication that powdered styling agents might be manufactured on the basis of the silicon dioxide described.
The document WO 2007/051511 A1 discloses the use of a powdered composition containing 50 to 95 wt % of an aqueous solvent, hydrophobized silicon dioxide powder, and a film-forming and/or setting polymer at least present in the aqueous solvent, for the temporary deformation of keratinic fibers.
The document DE 102008057261 A1 relates to powdered compositions for the temporary reshaping of hair for a very strong hold on the retained hairstyle. Said powders comprise core-shell particles whose shell contains particles of at least one hydrophobized metal oxide powder and whose core comprises a liquid aqueous phase, characterized in that the powdered composition contains at least one film-forming and/or setting polymer in the form of particles.
The powdered hair cosmetics of the existing art by now provide a hold acceptable for hair reshaping. The result achieved with said agents, however, is capable of improvement in terms of the parameters of natural shine and the elasticity of the hold. In addition, most usual styling raw materials such as waxes, oils, or polymers are not readily suitable for manufacturing stable powdered compositions. Either they prevent successful formation of the core-shell particles, or the shelf stability of the core-shell particles that are formed is decreased.
At least one object herein was therefore to make available a powdered hair treatment agent for temporary shaping that                can be metered accurately and simply,        is shelf-stable,        does not cause the hair to stick together,        imparts a fuller and natural feel to the hair,        imparts natural shine to the hair.The durability of the styling result is intended not to be negatively affected.        